Tia Smith

The Interview Pace Matters! Our agency recently submitted 3 exceptional candidates to a client about 3 weeks ago. Initial feedback from the hiring manager was positive, but we were waiting on the schedule of others to come together before scheduling the first interview. Unfortunately, it took the hiring manager 2 weeks to schedule the first interview (without the others). It would have taken longer, but 1 of the candidates accepted another offer which nudged the HM to get intro calls scheduled with the 2 remaining candidates. Those interviews went really, really well; however, the timing for the 2nd interview would have to wait until after a vacation. At this point, a 2nd candidate accepted another offer. This situation presents a great reminder that in today’s competitive market, strong candidates have options. Delays during the interview process can have a significant impact on your ability to hire top talent. Here's why: ➡️Really good candidates are highly sought after. They may be interviewing with multiple companies. ➡️Candidates invest time and energy in the process. Remember, you aren’t the first interview. We are (the recruiter you hired). A slow pace can send a message that the candidate's time isn’t valued. ➡️For that 3rd and final available candidate, interest and enthusiasm start to decrease. I mean, why should they be more excited than you are, right? We recommend that you move quickly. Review the candidate’s background and request an interview (or pass) within days of receiving the candidate's interest. Communicate the process and next steps. Candidates are more likely to remain engaged if they know what is going on, when it might happen, who’s involved, and what happens after that, and so on... When you prioritize the interview experience, you prioritize the candidate(s), and increase your chances of securing TOP talent! #hiring #recruitment #candidateexperience #interviewtips #hiringtips   

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🌟 Today is National Crown Act Day! 🌟 As a Black woman with natural Sisterlocks, this day holds profound significance for me and countless others. The Crown Act, which stands for "Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair," is legislation aimed at ending hair discrimination. It ensures that individuals can embrace their natural hair textures and protective styles—such as braids, twists, and locks—without facing bias or discrimination in schools and workplaces. Natural hair is not just a style; it's a statement of identity, culture, and pride. For too long, Black individuals have been pressured to conform to Eurocentric beauty standards, facing unjust scrutiny and penalties for wearing our hair in its natural state. The Crown Act champions the right to wear our hair proudly and authentically, breaking down barriers and fostering inclusivity. On this day, let's celebrate our natural beauty and continue to advocate for acceptance and equality. Together, we can create a world where everyone is free to express themselves without fear of discrimination. #CrownAct #NaturalHair #Sisterlocks #Inclusion #DEI

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With over 40+ years in the staffing industry would you agree with me that job applicants also called jobseeker's actually appreciate questions that allow them to showcase their skills, align with their career goals, and demonstrate their potential fit with the company culture. Thanks for sharing information Indeed, Glassdoor, The Muse, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, Monster, CareerBuilder, LinkedIn, and TopResume.  Here are the top five questions that job applicants say they really want to be asked: 1. "Can you tell me about yourself?" -Why Applicants Like It: This open-ended question allows candidates to highlight their background, skills, and experiences that are most relevant to the job. It sets a positive tone for the interview and gives them a chance to control the narrative. 2. "Why do you want to work here?" -Why Applicants Like It: This question gives candidates the opportunity to express their enthusiasm for the company and the role. It shows their research and alignment with the company’s values and goals. 3. "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" -Why Applicants Like It: This question allows candidates to demonstrate self-awareness and honesty. They can highlight their key strengths relevant to the job and discuss how they are working to improve their weaknesses. 4. "Can you describe a challenging situation you faced and how you handled it?" -Why Applicants Like It: Behavioral questions like this help candidates showcase their problem-solving skills, resilience, and ability to handle pressure. It provides concrete examples of their past experiences. 5. "Where do you see yourself in five years?" -Why Applicants Like It: This question allows candidates to discuss their career aspirations and how the role aligns with their long-term goals. It shows that they are thinking about their future and how they can grow within the company. Now by asking these questions, employers can now create a more engaging and informative interview experience for candidates, helping to ensure that both parties can assess the fit for the role and the organization effectively. Let's talk right now by contacting Al Katz, our Chief Employment Officer at [email protected] or 847-612-4676. #interview #jobseekers #employers #strategy #experiences #culture

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I need someone to explain to me (in simple words) what a reverse recruiter actually is. From where I sit, I just can't wrap my head around what they do. Do they just apply for jobs online that may work for me? Are they sticking to my salary requirements and drive distance? How are they targeting the nuances of who I am and what I do vs a generic job posting? And last, how to they communicate with me what jobs they've applied for, in my name? You know, in case they call, I don't want to look stupid. Or, are they actually shopping my resume around? Because I'm not sure I want the whole world to know I'm looking and if I can't control where my resume goes, how do they know if I want to work for that company? Or if I've interviewed and been rejected? Or if they aren't a good fit for me? So, simple words so I can understand it. Please and thank you. #simplewords #reverserecruiting #rftsearchgroup

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Giving multiple recruiters the assignment to search for your new employee may seem like a good idea, but is it? For example, if recruiters compete with each other, they try to be faster than the other. They will send through candidates that are desperate for a new job and readily available instead of combing through the market for top performers, which will take more time. In short, they will throw CV’s at you and hope one might stick. If you would like to see if and how JobnetAfrica might be able to help with finding the best candidates for your key roles, send us an email on [email protected]. #africajobs #jobsinafrica #executivesearchfirm #recruitmentfirm #recruitmentagency #africa #businessinafrica #executiverecruiter #opportunities #vacanciesinafrica #opportunitiesinafrica

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Job seekers and hiring managers are looking for the same thing more often than not. Sometimes though, this is missed despite so many conversations through a recruitment process. Hiring managers alongside specific skills and technical experience are searching for someone who is proactive and takes accountability. Job seekers alongside fair compensation and collaborative environments are looking for leaders who allow autonomy and trust to go out and do the job they are employed to do. There might be different perspectives on what each means to the other but the themes align. The two perspectives to intertwine nicely with open discussion on what each perspective looks and feels like for the individuals involved. Clear and simple language with examples to illustrate will generally do the trick. Once you have alignment, agree on check in points across a week and then away you go. Sometimes with a long checklist of all the 'must haves' through a job or applicant search, we miss the key things that will ultimately create thriving environments. #accountability #proactivity #trust #autonomy #jobsearch #candidatesearch #thrivingenvironments #hireQ

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15 different Black employees complain that their health-care employer maintains a racially hostile work environment. The allegations include several being exposed to the N-word at work, patients refusing treatment by Black employees and calling them "colored" and other slurs, and other race-based incidents. Nevertheless, in EEOC v. Village at Hamilton Pointe, the 7th Circuit affirmed the dismissal of the agency's racial harassment lawsuit. "In sum," the court wrote, "the evidence of record does not support, under established principles of law, a case for racial harassment that was so severe or pervasive as to alter the conditions of employment for any of these claimants." I disagree. There is ample caselaw supporting the legal principle that even one exposure by a Black employee to the N-word in the workplace is sufficiently severe as to alter the terms and conditions of employment and support a claim for a hostile work environment. Further, if this case involved one employee complaining about one exposure to one less severe race-based experience at work, I could understand the court's holding. But this case involved 15 employees complaining about myriad race-based instances. Those 15 employees, taken in the aggregate, paint a picture of a workplace in which race-based comments and other mistreatment was condoned. That's the hallmark of a racially hostile work environment. This case creates a dangerous precedent that it's legally acceptable to mistreat employees because of their race (or other protected class) as long as you're sure not to mistreat any one employee too frequently. Finally, please keep in mind that the law is a floor, not a ceiling. Employers, DO NOT read this case as a license to permit this type of offensive misconduct in your workplaces. This court gave the employer a pass; the next employer might not be so lucky. And regardless, it's just plain wrong.

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Shout out to you if you got up this morning and pushed through your job search. Shout out to you if you commented on some recruiters and hiring managers post. Shout out to you if you PMed some leaders in your desired field and created a mentorship relationship. Because if you are doing these things, Your dream job is around the corner. #jobseekers #hustle #dreamjob Follow Shlomo Meisels for more recruiting content

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Quit bitching about how many resumes you’ve submitted and how many days you have been unemployed for. This is a hard truth that you need to hear! If your intent is to get back to work… Change your narrative IMMEDIATLEY! Empathy will not pay your bills or get you back to work. Your post might have 200 likes but who is stepping up to help you? You are doing nothing more than telling the world how many companies and decision-makers do not believe in you or see your value! TIME is the most valuable currency. Our REPUTATION is our most valuable standard. Someone in your network… RIGHT NOW… has the authority and INFLUENCE to get you back to work this month!!! Are you worthy of their TIME? Are you worthy to call on their REPUTATION? Everybody has a VALUE PROPOSITION!!! “I need a job,” is not it. What is yours!? What do you do best? Can I measure it? Is it quantifiable? How have you utilized this asset to save the organization $$$$? How have you utilized this asset to save the organization TIME? What was the outcome? Was there a re-application of this standard or a lesson learned that was implemented by the organization? Interviewing can be tough! I can help! If you don’t like what they’re saying about you… CHANGE THE CONVERSATION!

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Last week, I declined 5 candidates  They were applying for a 90k role  And their answers were sub-par I emailed candidates who applied for a $90k job with three simple questions to help with pre-screening. Many ended up being declined purely due to the lack of effort in their responses. I call it lazy responses. You might think that this only applies to lower-level roles Nope. 90k, 100k, and even 120k + roles have candidates giving lazy, generic responses. So this is a wake-up call. In this competitive market, if you don’t put effort into every aspect of the hiring process… You will be declined in a heartbeat. Because if you don’t - someone else will. The insights you give in your answers are, sometimes, the only window into what it’s really like to work with you. Here’s how to make a strong first impression when a recruiter reaches out: Answer with detail Show genuine interest Choose your words carefully And remember, a thoughtful reply can transform a simple query into a conversation, a conversation into an interview, and an interview into a job offer.

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LinkedIn jobs are horrible. (I know this will ruffle some feathers) - Have you been ghosted while applying? - - What about getting recruiters that treat you like data points? - - What about recruiters that just post the same stuff over and over? This is why I qualify all the jobs I do and have a database of 15,000. With my support and accountability. Where I point you to: 1/ The best jobs in UK 2/ Catered for YOUR needs 3/ Whether they are remote or in person, I got you covered 4/ Accountability and calls on a weekly basis You choose. Delivered FOR you. Or done WITH you. One of my candidates James Stevenson used my frameworks and my 1:1 time. And got a job as a QC Operative with little experience but a demonstration of his commitment and passion. What if this could be you? Shoot me a message with the word "SHOW ME" and I'll reach out to see if we're a good fit to work together.

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𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻:  Being a recruiter is fun when one gets make calls to visibly good humans to let them know that their job search has ended. 𝗦𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: ... especially when you get to do it to someone as visibly likeable as the candidate Eric Shepardson and I got to do it with this afternoon. (Today was a great, great call. One of my favorites ever in this industry, even.) 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲: Whether you're a VP of IT or an entry-level Helpdesk individual, that call is always a fun one to make. I've been in this desk for a number of years now -- signed my first offer letter on 10/31/14, after supporting folks in my position for a number of years prior to, and with the partnership of a number of good humans along the way... -- and it always feels good to me. 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗹𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸.  My SNI Technology | Agile Resources, Inc. teams and I are here to help. 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗧 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗲, 𝗹𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸. There's a good chance that GEE Group's brands can help, regardless your background or industry. (I'll link the GEE brand website and brands below.) If you're still in the market, connect with me and -- further... -- reach out if I can help you with resource guides, connections within my network, etc.. Here to help.

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When Black women are not provided with the luxury to say NO 🚫 This isn't just a statement. It's a lived reality for countless Black women in the workplace. Let's unpack this: • We curtail to the highest bidder, knowing our jobs are on the line 💼 • We code-switch, adapting like chameleons in hostile environments 🦎 • Sometimes, we're so "successful" at this that other Black women think we've sold out 💔 But here's the truth: We're just trying to survive the workplace jungle. 🌿 The labyrinth of career ascent for Black women isn't just challenging - it's unpredictable. Hurdles appear from nowhere. The unexpected becomes the norm. And the most heartbreaking part? Underserved employees EXPECT racism at work. It's not about IF, but HOW MUCH they can tolerate. 😔 Elaine Ebabey's video perfectly captures this experience. How do we assert boundaries without compromising ourselves? How do we avoid complying with systems we know are biased against us? This isn't just a "Black women's issue." It's a leadership crisis. It's a societal failure. It's time for REAL change. It's time to commit to anti-racism. Not just in words, but in actions. Every. Single. Day. At Happiworkers, we're tackling this head-on: • Creating truly inclusive workplaces • Providing culturally sensitive mental health support • Empowering racialised employees to thrive, not just survive We envision a world where every employee - regardless of race or gender - feels empowered to say NO. Where diversity isn't just tolerated, but celebrated and leveraged for success. To every leader, every HR professional, every colleague: • Are you part of the problem or the solution? • How are you actively dismantling systems of oppression in your workplace? • What are you doing TODAY to create an environment where everyone can bring their whole selves to work? The future of work is anti-racist. The future is now. #AntiRacism #BlackWomenAtWork #WorkplaceCulture #Happiworkers #EquityInAction Let's build a workplace where everyone has the power to say NO. Who's with us? 👇

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A Question for Employers, Hiring managers and Recruiters... Comment below your answer, It will help job seekers who are looking for jobs. It will definitely help them correct their mistakes.

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Hey Hiring Managers!!! This interview advice is for you!! 😯Surprise😯...it's just about the same things that we would tell a candidate!! As a hiring manager, video interviews are a convenient way to connect with candidates in today's remote work environment. But they require different skills and prep. Follow these best practices for a productive and effective video interview: ✔Test equipment and internet ✔Minimize distractions ✔Use a headset or earbuds ✔Prepare in advance ✔Give clear instructions ✔Be respectful of time ✔And remember, keep your camera on! WHY? It shows: 👉professionalism 👉creates mutual respect 👉reduces anxiety 👉demonstrates company culture Make a lasting impression and showcase your company values. Be authentic, engaged, and ready to forge a connection!🤝 What are your best practices for conducting effective video interviews? Share in the comments!

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Hiring managers get a bad rap - They are parents, husbands/wives, and have bills to pay like you and me. They are busy, overworked, and stressed too. Often when they are asked to hire for their team, it's already in addition to the million other things they have to do already. Approach an interview with empathy by asking yourself: ➡️ What would they personally want to get out of this role? ➡️ How could I make their work life easier? ➡️ What would I want to hear if I am in their shoes? The sooner we make interviewer and candidate just a little less adversarial, the easier the process is for all... #startups #recruiting #founders

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The 2-week Notice! Don’t burn bridges. Giving notice is something we’re all taught from an early age. But what message does your company send when you don’t let someone work out their notice? Does it improve culture? Does it help with employee retention? NOPE. All you’re showing is that your people are just numbers to you. You open the doors for the recruiters like me to talk to your best people. Want loyalty? Drop the ego and respect the notice. Otherwise, you're just burning your own bridge.

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